Job Security

Your job

When an employer that cut 50,000 jobs in the last 10 years shows a renewed interest in privatization and contracting out, job security becomes a top issue in bargaining.

The Martin government assumed power in December 2003, and it immediately announced an Expenditure Review to determine the activities or programs that should or could be transferred to the private/voluntary sector.

After what we have been through over the past 10 years, we deserve better.

How serious are they?

The Martin government is very serious about privatization and contracting out. Their program of Expenditure Review leaves little to the imagination and they have appointed MP John McKay as an official cheerleader for Public Private Partnerships (P3’s). In his position as the parliamentary secretary for Public Private Partnerships, McKay recently gushed, “…I’m impressed by the creativity that’s going on between public and private partners.” There can be no doubt about the government’s wish list.

What are we asking for?

We are seeking to protect our jobs through a three-part proposal:

• Only those covered by the contract will perform the work we normally do, except for past practices and emergencies;
• No lay-offs for the life of the new contract;
• No contracting out of our work for the life of the new contract.

Simple. Straightforward. No more job cuts.

What the employer is offering

The employer has refused to deal with our proposals for job security.

We deserve better

We have seen the public service devastated by cuts in the 1990’s. The members who left paid a high price, as did those who remained. And the public paid a high price in the quality of service provided and the level of accountability that could be maintained.